Bring Out the Guacamole!

Since I blogged about avocados yesterday and then ate the best guacamole I have ever made, I thought I would post a recipe. Of course, there are many different varieties and if the truth be known, I actually don't follow a recipe most of the time. I throw these items in there and then start tasting! A little more of this and then a little more of that...pretty soon I have perfection :)

Now, there is a trick to perfect guacamole and that is using good, ripe avocados. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe.

2 ripe avocados
1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
A dash of freshly grated black pepper
1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Cut avocados in half and remove the seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel and put in a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness. Be careful handling the peppers; wash your hands thoroughly after handling and do not touch your eyes or the area near your eyes with your hands for several hours. The tomatoes need to be kept separate until ready to serve.

Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste. Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix. Of course, I think that everything taste better with garlic, so I always add fresh garlic or some garlic powder to my dip.

One more tip...I haven't tried this yet, but I have heard that if you leave the seed in with the guacamole, it will prevent the dip from turning brown.

Grab some chips or a sandwich and enjoy a little piece of Heaven on earth!